Why Foster with Us?

What it means to work with us

When asked, foster carers say that the most important things in fostering are to feel part of the team looking after the child or young person living with them; to receive consistent support from their agency, with their support social worker being readily available to offer help and advice; to be fully involved in decision making about the child or young person in their care, including at the stage where a placement is being considered; to have access to relevant and high quality training; to be properly rewarded financially.

Over the years The Fostering Foundation has clearly demonstrated its commitment to each of these aspects; in fact we regard them as the basis of our ‘contract’ with those who become foster carers with us.

Support from the Foundation

When you foster with us, you’ll have direct access to a Supervising Social Worker (SSW), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Fostering Foundation SSWs are responsible for a maximum of 12 foster carers and give day-to-day support through regular contact with you. They report to their Team Manager who in turn reports to the Registered Manager.

Your SSW coordinates the implementation of the care plan for the child in your care. This plan is put together by the local authority and is regularly reviewed, with your involvement crucial in providing up-to-date information about the child, the progress they are making and their changing needs. The SSW will always support you at review meetings.

We arrange as positive an introduction as possible between carer and child providing as much information as we have about the child or young people who may be coming to live in your home. We also support the conclusion of the placement, making it as smooth as possible.

Checks and Training

The Fostering Foundation carries out relevant checks on all foster carers and employees to make sure that only suitable people can become foster carers. We then provide you with training programmes and organise support groups where you can meet other carers, in formal and informal settings.

We are proud of our professionalism and we give your training and support the highest priority.